Thyroid stimulating hormone (also known as thyrotropin, thyrotropic hormone, TSH, or hTSH for human TSH) is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (T4 ), and then triiodothyronine (T3 ) which stimulates the metabolism of almost every tissue in the body.  

It is a glycoprotein hormone synthesised and secreted by thyrotropic cells in the anterior pituitary gland, which regulates the endocrine function of the thyroid.  

 TSH (with a half-life of about an hour) stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete the hormone thyroxine (T4), which has only a slight effect on metabolism. T4 is converted to triiodothyronine (T3), which is the active hormone that stimulates metabolism. About 80% of this conversion is in the liver and other organs, and 20% in the thyroid itself. Testing of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the blood is considered the best initial test for hypothyroidism. 

The Thyroid TSH Rapid Test is a simple test that utilises a combination of monoclonal antibodies to selectively detect elevated levels of TSH in whole blood.  

Please ensure that you read the instructions for use before taking this test